Police helicopter rescues German family from glaciated Kleinelendkees in Carinthia

The crew of the police helicopter from the Klagenfurt flight operations center responded and recovered the family from an altitude of around 2,814 meters above sea level. The three uninjured mountaineers were flown to the Osnabrücker Hütte, where they were able to be looked after after the rescue. The 16-year-old and the 19-year-old sons, as well as the 58-year-old father, survived the emergency without injuries.

The planned tour on July 27, 2026 had led from the Hannoverhaus over the Ankogel and the glaciated Kleinelendkees toward the Osnabrücker Hütte in the Maltatal. The route runs through high-alpine, glaciated terrain and is regarded as demanding among mountaineering experts.

According to the rescue teams, the family was equipped only with conventional hiking and high-tour equipment as well as so-called crampons. Equipment necessary for glacier tours, such as crampons (steigeisen), ice axe, and rope, was not present, as stated in the police communiqué.

Course of the rescue

Because mobile phone reception was not possible, other mountaineers notified the operations control center via a satellite phone. The police helicopter crew from Klagenfurt flew to the glacier area and was able to recover the family from the steep face using a hoist operation.

Equipment and assessment

The three were flown to the Osnabrücker Hütte after the rescue. From there, they were able to abort the tour and descend safely into the valley. According to the available information, the operation ended without medical consequences.

The police pointed out that the family's equipment was not sufficient for a glacier tour at this altitude. A steep, icy glacier cannot be safely negotiated with crampons (crampon-style traction devices) alone. For glaciated high mountains, at minimum crampons (steigeisen), ice axe, and rope, as well as corresponding experience, are required.

According to the authorities, the operation exemplifies how quickly a multi-day hike in the Alps can turn into an emergency when weather, equipment, and route choice do not match up. The rescue succeeded only thanks to the quick emergency call by fellow mountaineers and the alerted helicopter crew.

For the coming days, the rescue teams announced that they would continue to monitor incidents on glaciated tours in the Ankogel Group. Hikers were called upon to carefully check the weather report, equipment, and tour itinerary before setting out into high-alpine regions.